On August 5, 1925 at 8:10 p.m., Officer Edwin Boyd responded to a fire reported to be on King Street and River Street. He hopped into the front passenger seat of a police patrol wagon en route to the fire. Unknown to the driver, a fire truck was also responding to the same fire. A collision between the police and fire vehicle occurred when both entered the same intersection while proceeding to the fire call.

A stopped streetcar prevented a full view of the intersection, and the sirens from both emergency vehicles prevented both drivers from hearing the other.